Best DACs under $7,000.00

To blisshifi:

I know you have a very high-end T+A Dac system.  My question:  have you spent any time listening to the DAC200?  I spoke with Elliot from T&A NA and he has been very helpful.  He also directed me to the very good review recently done:

https://audiophilestyle.com/ca/reviews/ta-dac-200-da-converter-review-r1135/ 

Here is what I wrote him in our correspondence:

"I read the very good review.  I am now down to the choice of two DACs (from eliminating over 20 on the list):

T+A DAC 200

Lampizator Atlantic TRP

"At some point, I'll just have to plunk down and commit.  As far as the DAC 200, I know there is the positive review you sent me but I sure wish I had additional support for that or, even better, someone who could reflect comparisons in a musical way.  The reviewer of the article spent a lot of time talking about the technical prowess of the DAC 200 but not as much in detailing tone quality (super important), soundstage, analogue-like descriptions, etc.  It's the sound comparison that will be the leap of faith in the end."

So, blissfhifi (or anyone else), I was wondering if you had any opinion about the tonal qualities or any other descriptions that might give more insight into the musical positive attributes of the DAC200?... Thanks.

@gregjacob Elliott is wonderful to deal with, and I’m glad you spoke with him.

I’ve spent a lot of time with the DAC 200 since June or so and know it very well, though I can’t compare it with a Golden Atlantic TRP. I was able to compare the DAC 200 to a Lampizator Baltic, but I’m betting the Golden Atlantic TRP is a different beast. It’s also hard to compare the two as the Golden Atlantic TRP can use a variety of tubes. I have a hard time settling on EL34s (one of my favorite tubes), let alone dealing with other pentode variants like the KT88, KT150, etc.

What I can say is this. The DAC 200 is quite neutral and natural. It does not have added bloom, perhaps slightly better tonal density and richness compared to other DACs in its price range, but it’s not enough to classify it as “colored”. What I love about it is this character combined with speed and a ridiculously low noise floor. It can be articulate and immediate without fatigue, and it is wonderful to have that hint of tonal richness combined with the speed and definition in the bass that is really hard to accomplish with a tube DAC.

On the DAC 200 you need to remember that there are six DAC filters to choose from. I prefer Bezier 2, which is a bit-perfect algorithm. Two customers who have purchased the DAC 200 from me have found they like Bezier 1 more (which provides a softer, and they claim more organic, delivery that is reminiscent of analog). 

One other consideration is that while Lampizator often comes with other inputs aside from USB, most will state that Lampizator sounds best over USB. The DAC 200’s clock is very good, using special Femto clock oscillators with extremely low jitter and phase noise to synchronize the digital audio signals, and some of this tech is still utilized even if leveraging SPDIF inputs like AES, Coax, or Toslink, which inherently prioritize the digital source’s clock over the DAC’s clock. This means that while it can prioritize even better clocking from the source, it has technology within that basically synchronizes both clocks, acting as a masterclock internally. So if you are using a digital source (server/streamer) that has a very good quality clock internally, then the DAC 200 might have the upper hand over the Lampi with regards to clocking. 

If I had more than one floor model of the T+A DAC 200 I would happily send it your way to demo and a return policy. Unfortunately it is currently one of my more inquired pieces and I have customers here often that are interested in listening to it. 

Feel free to PM me if you have interest in discussing in-home evaluation options in more detail.

To blisshifi:

Thanks so much.  Best breakdown I've been able to get!  Even though I haven't directly experienced this dac, I have experienced other equally costly ones that were mentioned in this now-long thread that I just didn't feel had a soul.  They might check all the digital correctness boxes, but they aren't seductive in their interpretation (the magical balance of tonal density?).  Designers will crow about being analog-like but in the end, they fall flat. The end goal of all my music listening is to be taken somewhere--a journey of thoughts, memories, emotions, enchantments, and liquid poetry.  Many of us have had that with great vinyl. I can see it at times in the digital setup I have, causing the renewed search to take it to the next level.  That is precisely why the Lampitzators have remained on my shortlist.  Reviews and opinions about them tend toward the emotion and involvement they can produce, regardless of or in spite of any weaknesses. That's where we are trying to get to. The DAC 200, being solid state, easier to manage and with some great ways to finesse the sound, might get there as well or better.  Thanks for taking the time to analyze this.  From what you've written, it is definitely at the top of the list. 👍

@gregjacob You’re welcome. I would say the DAC 200 has soul, and many other characteristics. It’s a DAC I could likely live with if I didn’t already have the SDV 3100 HV. That one definitely has much greater tonal density, richness, and decay, but it’s scary how well the DAC 200 performs at a fraction of the SDV’s price.

If the Lampi Atlantic TRP has the better Mundorf caps in them, they might be worth considering, but you’ll also have to land the right tubes which will give you the balance of soul and resolution, and that can be either very rewarding or very frustrating. I know in all my time, I’ve always wanted my solid state to have more tube characteristics, and my tube gear to have more definition and improved performance at the frequency extremes like SS. It wasn’t until I went T+A that I got the best of both worlds and likely will never look back. Prior to that my primary system had anywhere from 10-30 tubes in it. Now… zero.

I also subscribe to Stereophile and have not seen a review on the Audio GD R-7HE. Also, an R2R DAC cannot do DSD by itself. My Audio Holo May R2R DAC has a Separate built in DAC just for DSD processing.